Black Marriage Day Celebrate the Joy March 28, 2010

http://www.blackmarriageday.com/

The waning of March signals 2 things in our personal universe:

Spring is here; and,

It’s time for Black Marriage Day.

Black Marriage Day? What’s that? It’s a question we get a lot…usually accompanied by a bemused stare. This year we have a pre-emptive Black Marriage Day “Primer” to answer all the questions we usually get around this time:



What is Black Marriage Day?

Black Marriage Day (BMD) is a national day inaugurated in 2003 to celebrate and encourage healthy marriage in the African American Community. BMD has a unique theme each year; the 2009 theme is: First Comes Love: Guiding Our Youth to Marriage.



When is Black Marriage Day?

Black Marriage Day is traditionally held on the fourth Sunday in March. Many cities, however, hold their celebrations the day before on Saturday. In Los Angeles, for example, BMD is celebrated with a kick-off rally on Saturday.



Who Started Black Marriage Day?

BMD was founded by the executive director of Wedded Bliss Foundation: Nisa Muhammad, a mother of five who has experienced the devastation of divorce, and was inspired and determined to help create a better reality for her children and others. Through her research, she discovered that married people:



Live longer,

Enjoy better health,

Earn more money,

Accumulate more wealth,

Are more likely to be homeowners,

Feel more fulfilled,

Report more satisfying sexual relations, and

Have happier, more successful children



Why was Black Marriage Day Started and Why is it Important?

Nisa conceived of Black Marriage Day as a way to help educate others about the benefits of marriage. Black Marriage Day is important because as a group, African Americans have the lowest marriage rate in America, and possibly the world. Consider the following statistics:



54% of African Americans aged 24-34 have never been married, compared to 35% of Americans in general;

Only 47.9% of African American families are headed by a married couple (compared to 76% in the general population);

In 1960, 75% of African American children lived with their 2 married parents. By 1995, only 33% of African American children lived with their 2 married parents);

Today, 69% of African American births are to single mothers (compared to 33% among all Americans).

As mentioned above, research is confirming the importance of marriage to the health and well-being of adults, children, and communities. Many steps have been taken by the Federal, State, and Local Governments and Community Leaders to promote and strengthen the institution of marriage. Black Marriage Day is an important part of the effort to reach and include the African American Community in this movement.



Where is Black Marriage Day Celebrated?

BMD is celebrated across the United States and has been growing steadily since its inception. On the first occasion, March 23, 2003, 30 cities across the country participated by holding celebrations to mark the day. The following year, 70 cities held BMD celebrations. This year over 300 cities are slated to celebrate the 7th Black Marriage Day on March 22nd, 2009, a marked increase over the 250 cities which celebrated last year.